She jumped the fence...so much for back yard play time :(

[TheVintageAngel]

She's okay...I managed to get a hold of her collar in the neighbors yard while she was running in circles around their adult male GSD...but this changes EVERYTHING and I'm so depressed about it.

We have a split rail fence with chicken wire in our back yard...and a great sized yard...thought it was perfect for a dog. Jemma, up until today, was allowed to play out there on her own. She was doing great at playing with her toys indepenantly at times, and often I'd go out to play fetch with her and tug. Thank God I was out there doing just that today when this happened...because I saw it all go down and was able to catch her and bring her home...but she saw Duke, our neighbor GSD male and he was coming over to sniff her through the fence....this happens often. He is very well trained and has the run of his yard - no fence. She took one look at him sauntering over and cleared the fence just like that. I couldn't believe my eyes. She was running and running with him...wouldn't listen to me at all...but I was finally able to dive and grab her collar. I had to drag her back to the yard because I didn't have a leash on me...I didn't punish her once I caught her though, I was just trying to get her to safety. I almost had her to the gate and she wriggled free again, but followed me in the back gate and seemed just happy as could be for this great adventure she had just had.

So, now she can't go out in the yard alone anymore.....and now I want to ask others here what they do...

Does anyone recommend using a rope tether for her to have outside time? Invisible fencing? Leash at all times now with me standing out there?

[jprice103]

Yeah, this is my biggest fear! We have a 4/5 ft fence in our back yard. It has a looped effect, so it is higher near the posts. Cheyenne has never tried to jump it, but I know she can....easily!! We just finally bit the bullet and are having it replaced with a 6 ft privacy fence next week (can't wait). Although I would have liked to not have that expense, I would like to be able to let her go outside without me there all the time! It is well worth the money for peace of mind!

If that is not an option for you, then I'd say either always be outside with her...but that doesn't mean she won't jump it since she did today....or get a stake and a long leash to put her on when you can't be out there with her. Now that she has done it once, you can bet she will always be doing it now!

[TheVintageAngel]

Unfortunately, we live in a subdivision that does not allow privacy fencing...only split rail fencing. Wasn't a problem with my old dog as she was a middle aged, much less agile mutt. I couldn't believe Jemma cleared this fence....it's a higher one...and she jumped it like it was nothing. Maybe she has a career in agility

Yes, I know she'll do it again because she had the time of her life and got to have play time with her beloved Duke...I'm telling you of all the dogs around it's him she loves best...it's like she knows they are of the same breed. A stake and a tether seems the best option, but I worried that might cause problem behaviors down the line....I suppose if I don't overuse it it won't?

[ken k]

I have a 130ft cable suspended between 2 poles, with a 30ft lead, I dont have a fenced yard, and when I cant watch them or be outside with them, they get hooked up, and its only for no more than 10 minutes to do their business

[BlackPuppy]

I love your avatar. She's so cute!

So, do I understand correctly? A four month old puppy jumped a 4 foot fence?!

Wow!

It's nice that she likes the neighbor dog. I know youngsters like to play with their own species. Do you think it's a one time thing?

Maybe you should start keeping good food in your pocket and train a lot of recalls. I do this with new dogs in the back yard. While we are playing I do recall training and give a lot of praise and a cookie.

I would think once you guys get into training and the bond deepens she won't be as interested in the neighbor dog. She did follow you home, after all.

[TheVintageAngel]

I am not sure how high the fence is, but I would guess it at 4' exactly or maybe slightly lower...it's your average split rail with the chicken wire added between the rails to prevent escape from below or through...will measure it tomorrow by daylight because I'm curious. Yes, a 4 month old and one week puppy cleared it...she didn't climb it...well, she jumped slightly on it like an epic vault really...landed some feet on the very top rail then was over....just like that...didn't even do a roll or miss a beat when she landed. I will continue going out with her and will leave a short leash on so I have something to grab if she does it again. I think she'll only do it again if Duke is out....the other side neighbor's dog doesn't interest her near as much as he does

I know it's possible to train her well enough to stay because I sit there and watch Duke saunter around and behave perfectly without a leash or a fence all the time...I think he's about 2 years old. Makes me feel totally inferior of course with my spastic landshark jumpy lungy girl...but she's just a baby so I know there's hope.

Mostly, I am so sad that her outside alone time is now over unless I'm out there with her because she was just getting good at playing with her toys out there on her own sometimes and running around the yard investigating smells and things...but, maybe it's for the best...will force me to go out there with her each time instead of part of the time.

[TheVintageAngel]

Okay, measured it - in the dark...ha, but it's actually a little over 3' high...so maybe I should have realized she could clear this thing, but it seems so high compared to her. Guess we should have invested in the 3 rail fence instead of the 2 rail...but now it is what it is and we will have to work it out....since if we invest in a 3 rail fence she'll just be able to jump that in a few more months.

[WVGSD]

I rescued a Treeing Walker Coonhound several years ago and there was NOTHING that would keep him inside my five foot fence (with a high tension strand of barbed wire at the bottom to discourage digging) when he wanted to be in the woods running loose and treeing coon or anything else. He, however, went under the fence in the most incredibly small holes and would think nothing of tearing his back and ears in order to get out.

To keep him in, my husband and I put up two poles about 40 feet apart and ran a cable between them. From this, we hooked another cable with a trolley and a clip to his collar. He was only on this when we were home and outside as it was just meant to keep him from getting out.

With this dog, we also had to keep a choke collar on him while he was on the trolley. When I put him in a harness, he ate it within two minutes. With a standard buckle collar, he would slip out of it and it did not seem to matter how tight that I thought I had made it.

The two poles and trolley kept him in and safe while giving him some exercise too.